New affordable housing planned for Barrie’s north end

More affordable housing is coming to Barrie’s north end.

Mayor Alex Nuttall, Coun. Ann-Marie Kungl, Coun. Nigussie Nigussie, JD Development Group officials and other dignitaries gathered at 52 Lakeside Terrace on to announce that 46 affordable housing units will be included in a new 12-storey rental building. The development will also feature 185 market-rent units, for a total of 231 apartments near Little Lake.

Construction on the development has officially begun.

Nuttall said the project is part of the city’s broader push to expand housing supply amid rising demand, noting more than 775 affordable units have been approved in Barrie over the past 24 months.

He also pointed out that the affordable units are reserved for existing Barrie residents.

“These affordable units are not just for anybody,” Nuttall said.

“If somebody’s in Toronto and they’re looking for an affordable housing unit, they will not qualify for this. These units have to be for existing Barrie residents, and that is part of the agreement between developers and the City of Barrie.”

JD Development Group CEO Julia Zhang said the project marks an important move for the city’s housing needs.

“This is a very meaningful step forward,” she said.

“We are proud to help bring more rental housing to Barrie and support the city’s continued growth.”

The project is supported through Barrie’s $80-million development charge incentive fund, introduced in 2025 to encourage affordable housing by reducing fees typically paid by developers for growth-related infrastructure.

The program applies to residential buildings of five storeys or more that commit at least 20 per cent of units as affordable housing, with construction required to begin by the end of May 2026.